Industry News

How to choose the right surge protection device？（2）

What surge protection devices should be chosen and where should they be installed?Lightning protection should be approached from an overall viewpoint. Depending on the application (large industrial plants, data centers, hospitals, etc.), a risk assessment method must be used to guide in choosing optimal protection (lightning protection system, surge protection devices).

In other cases (housing, offices, buildings not sensitive to industrial risks), it is easier to adopt the following protection principle:

In all cases a Type 2 surge protection device will be installed in the electrical installation’s incoming-end switchboard. Then, the distance between that surge protection device and the equipment to be protected should be assessed. When this distance exceeds 30 metres, an additional surge protection device (Type 2 or Type 3) should be installed near the equipment.

When the building is equipped with a lightning protection system, a Type 1 surge protection device must be installed at the incoming end of the installation. There exist surge protection devices combining Type 1 and Type 2 in the same enclosure.